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Lifes Rich Pageant

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Lifes Rich Pageant is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on July 28, 1986. R.E.M. chose Don Gehman to produce the album, which was recorded at John Mellencamp's Belmont Mall Studio in Belmont, Indiana. This was the only album the band recorded with Gehman, who moved them from the more obscure and dense sound of their earlier albums to an accessible, hard rock-influenced quality. The album was well-received critically.

Lifes Rich Pageant
Studio album by
R.E.M.
ReleasedJuly 28, 1986 (1986-07-28)
RecordedApril and May 1986
StudioBelmont Mall (Belmont, Indiana)
Genre
Length38:23
LabelI.R.S.
ProducerDon Gehman
R.E.M. chronology
Fables of the Reconstruction
(1985) 		Lifes Rich Pageant
(1986) 		Dead Letter Office
(1987)
Singles from Lifes Rich Pageant
  1. "Fall on Me"
    Released: August 1986
  2. "Superman"
    Released: November 1986

Music

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The ecologically minded "Cuyahoga" refers to the once heavily polluted Cuyahoga River that flows into Lake Erie at Cleveland, Ohio. The song includes the lyric we burned the river down, which refers to the several occasions (most famously in 1969) when the river actually caught fire.

At the end of "Just a Touch" frontman Michael Stipe can be heard screaming the line "I'm so young, I'm so goddamn young", quoting longtime influence Patti Smith's live cover version of The Who's "My Generation" released on the B-side of her 1976 single "Gloria",[3][4] which she also uses at the end of her cover version of "Privilege (Set Me Free)" from her 1978 album Easter.

Recording and production

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During the first half of 1986, the band took a break from touring to recover energy.[5] They wanted to make a change from the sound of their previous album, with Mills saying "We wanted to get away from the sort of murky feelings and sounds that we got out of Joe [Boyd, producer on Fables of the Reconstruction] in London".[6] They wanted a "really hard-driving record, but we also like to throw in a lot of things: pianos and organs and accordions and banjos and what-not" and considered working with Gehman as they liked the acoustic sound of his work with John Mellencamp.[7][6] They initially met for an extensive demo session at John Keane's Studio in Athens, Georgia, in March 1986 (These recordings would later be released as the "Athens Demos" on the 25th anniversary re-release of the album).[5] After being initially skeptical, they embraced the new recording process with Gehman later stating that:

"I liked to spend time on the arrangement and layer in the overdubs and comp the vocals—all this process which, to me, was normal record-making, they had never been through before. When they saw that kind of record-making process didn't take anything away—that it actually added another level of artistic expression—they were very excited by it."[6]

The album was recorded at Mellencamp's Belmont Mall Recording Studio in Belmont, Indiana, in April and May 1986.[5] The recording studio was larger and had newer technology than they were used to, and they enjoyed the area, attending many concerts in nearby Bloomington while there.[6][7] The band were also happy with the production of the record and the extra clarity of the vocals, bassist Mike Mills saying:

"Don (Gehman, the album's producer) is good at layering things so there can be a lot of things going on but you can still hear everything. And as far as Michael's vocals go, it's a combination of things: Michael is getting better at what he's doing, and he's getting more confident at it. And I think that shows up in the projection of his voice. The overall sound of everything was so good, we didn't mind having the vocals mixed as loud as they were."[6]

Packaging

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The album title is based on an English idiom. Its use is very old, but R.E.M.'s use is, according to guitarist Peter Buck, from the 1964 film A Shot in the Dark, minus the apostrophe:

Inspector Clouseau opens a car door, falling into a fountain.
Maria: "You should get out of these clothes immediately. You'll catch your death of pneumonia, you will."
Clouseau: "Yes, I probably will. But it's all part of life's rich pageant, you know?"[8]

The cover of the album is a photograph of drummer Bill Berry, on the upper half, and a pair of bison, signifying an environmental theme, on the lower half. It also alludes to Buffalo Bill.[9]

Release

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With R.E.M.'s fan base beginning to grow beyond its college rock boundaries, Lifes Rich Pageant proved at the time to be the band's most commercially successful album in the United States, peaking at number 21[10] on the Billboard charts and heralding the band's first gold record.[11] In the UK, the album managed a number 43 peak.[12]

The ecologically conscious "Fall on Me" (a personal favorite of Michael Stipe) and a cover of the Clique's "Superman", sung by Mike Mills, were the only singles released from the album (the single version of the latter removed the sample from one of the Godzilla movies that began the album version).

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [13]
Chicago Tribune    [14]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[15]
Entertainment WeeklyA[16]
The Guardian     [17]
Pitchfork8.8/10[9]
Q     [18]
Rolling Stone     [19]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [20]
Uncut     [21]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Lifes Rich Pageant received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 93 out of 100 from 20 critic scores.[22] PopMatters included it in their list of the "12 Essential 1980s Alternative Rock Albums".[23] Slant Magazine listed the album at #52 on its list of "Best Albums of 1980s" saying "Lifes Rich Pageant stands as a nearly seamless transition between the band's formative period and their commercial dominance."[24] In 2000, it ranked at number 162 in the list of Virgin's All-Time Album Top 1000 List.[25]

Anthony DeCurtis, writing a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, called it "brilliant and groundbreaking, if modestly flawed", praising it as "the most outward looking record R.E.M. has made." He found that it "carries on...  the dark Southern folk artistry of last year's Fables of the Reconstruction" and "paints a swirling, impressionistic portrait of a country at the moral crossroads".[26] Robert Christgau gave the album B+ in a dismissive review that complained of a lack of progress from earlier albums.[15]

Retrospective reviews of the album in the context of the band's later work (beginning with the following original studio album, Document) have been positive. Gavin Edwards, writing in 2003, gave it four stars, praising "Fall on Me" in particular as "the finest song in the R.E.M. canon. A lullaby of modern anxiety, it's flexible enough to serve as a potent metaphor for acid rain, nuclear warfare, satellite surveillance or any other modern phobia you choose".[19] Stephen Deusner, writing for Pitchfork, calls it "invigorating", citing it as R.E.M.'s first transitional album, simultaneously their "most pop-oriented and accessible album up to that point" and "most overtly political collection, with songs addressing environmental crises and political malaise".[9] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian says it "may represent the band at their absolute zenith... imbued with a swaggering confidence absent from its murky predecessor". Petridis also singles out "Fall on Me" for its "beautiful opacity" and the "sumptuousness of its melody".[17] Andrew Mueller in Uncut argues that it represents R.E.M. embracing the mainstream: "For the first time, it had occurred to REM that they had a constituency – and, indeed, that it might be possible and desirable to build on that" with an album where "Every note... fizzes and crackles with the urgency of people who’ve made their minds up".[21]

Both DeCurtis and Deusner praise the production work of Don Gehman, comparing it favorably to their previous album Fables of the Reconstruction. DeCurtis said Gehman "has done an outstanding job of hardening R.E.M.’s sonic jolt" while Deusner stated of Gehman that by "giving the melodic leads their own space, he emphasizes the muscle in Berry's beats and the intricate interaction between the rhythm section".[9][26]

Track listing

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All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, except "Superman" by Mitchell Bottler and Gary Zekley.

Original release:

Side one – "Dinner side"

  1. "Begin the Begin" – 3:28
  2. "These Days" – 3:24
  3. "Fall on Me" – 2:50
  4. "Cuyahoga" – 4:19
  5. "Hyena" – 2:50
  6. "Underneath the Bunker" (unlisted track[note 1]) – 1:25

Side two – "Supper side"

  2. "The Flowers of Guatemala" – 3:55
  3. "I Believe" – 3:49
  4. "What If We Give It Away?" – 3:33
  5. "Just a Touch" – 3:00
  6. "Swan Swan H" – 2:42
  7. "Superman" (unlisted track[note 2]) – 2:52

Personnel

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R.E.M.

Production

Chart performance

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Weekly charts

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Year Chart Peak
position
1986 Billboard 200 21 (32 weeks on chart)[30]
1986 UK Albums Chart 43 (4 weeks on chart)[12]
1986 Australia (Kent Music Report) 73 (7 weeks on chart)[31]

Singles

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Year Song Chart Position
1986 "Fall on Me" Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 5[30]
1986 "Fall on Me" The Billboard Hot 100 94[30]
1986 "Superman" Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 17[30]

Certifications

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Organization Level Date
RIAA – US Gold January 23, 1987[11]
CRIA – Canada Gold September 30, 1987[32]
CRIA – Canada Platinum September 30, 1987[32]

Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog
United Kingdom July 28, 1986 I.R.S. vinyl LP MIRG1014
United States July 29, 1986 I.R.S. LP IRS-5783
cassette tape IRSC-5783
Compact Disc 72434-93478-2-3
Brazil 1986 Epic LP 14495
Greece 1986 I.R.S. LP 57064
The Netherlands 1986 Illegal LP ILP 57064
New Zealand 1986 I.R.S. LP ELPS 4550
Spain 1986 Illegal LP 57064
United States 1990 I.R.S. Compact Disc IRSD-5783
Worldwide 1990 MCA Compact Disc 5783
United States 1990 I.R.S. cassette tape IRSC-5783
United States 1992 Universal Compact Disc 19080
The Netherlands January 26, 1993 EMI Compact Disc 7 13201 2 5†
Japan February 24, 1993 Toshiba/EMI Compact Disc TOCP-7269†
Worldwide 1998 Capitol Compact Disc 93478
Europe 1998 EMI Compact Disc 13201†
Europe 1999 EMI Compact Disc 7132012†
United States July 12, 2011 Capitol/EMI Compact Disc 5099908244727††
United States November 22, 2011 Mobile Fidelity Vinyl LP N/A
United States July 29, 2016 I.R.S. Vinyl LP IRSLP85140

Notes

  • † I.R.S. Vintage Years edition, with bonus tracks
  • †† 25th anniversary edition, with bonus disc

Notes

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  1. ^ The track listing on the CD packaging (back cover) is incorrect and has never been corrected. The order is given as 01-05-10-08-02-07-04-09-03-11, which excludes "Underneath the Bunker". The track listing is corrected on the vinyl, cassette, and some CD versions.[27]
  2. ^ "Superman", which is a cover song is an unlisted track on back cover packaging (shown as "+_____________"), but listed on the disc and cassette media.[28][29] Some early UK compact disc copies list the track as "Superwoman".

References

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  1. ^ "R.E.M. Album Details". ABC News.
  2. ^ Ramirez, AJ (August 27, 2014). "12 Essential Alternative Rock Albums from the 1980s". PopMatters. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  3. ^ Keating, Robert (October 1986). "Atlanta, Who Murdered Your Children?". Spin. 2 (7): 78. ISSN 0886-3032.
  4. ^ Matthew, Perpetua (20 September 2008). "Ask Michael Stipe". Pop Songs 07-08. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Peacock, Tim (2021-07-28). "'Lifes Rich Pageant': How R.E.M. Banked A Classic | uDiscover". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  6. ^ a b c d e Zaleski, Annie (July 28, 2016). "How R.E.M. Took a Big Step Forward With 'Lifes Rich Pageant'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  7. ^ a b Popson, Tom (October 17, 1986). "ONWARD AND UPWARD AND PLEASE YOURSELF". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  8. ^ Rosen, Craig (1997). R.E.M. Inside Out: The Stories Behind Every Song. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. ISBN 1-56025-177-8.
  9. ^ a b c d Deusner, Stephen M. (July 13, 2011). "R.E.M.: Lifes Rich Pageant (25th Anniversary Edition)". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  10. ^ "R.E.M. > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  11. ^ a b "RIAA – Gold & Platinum Searchable Database". RIAA. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  12. ^ a b "R.E.M. Artist Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  13. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lifes Rich Pageant – R.E.M." AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  14. ^ Kot, Greg (March 24, 1991). "Traveling Through The Years With R.E.M." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  15. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1990). "R.E.M.: Lifes Rich Pageant". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. p. 343. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  16. ^ Browne, David (March 22, 1991). "An R.E.M. discography". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  17. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (June 30, 2011). "REM: Lifes Rich Pageant – review". The Guardian. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  18. ^ Kane, Peter (August 2011). "R.E.M.: Life's Rich Pageant". Q. No. 301. p. 128.
  19. ^ a b Edwards, Gavin (July 10, 2003). "Life's Rich Pageant". Rolling Stone. No. 926. p. 73. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  20. ^ Nawrocki, Tom (2004). "R.E.M.". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 685–687. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  21. ^ a b Mueller, Andrew (August 2011). "REM: Lifes Rich Pageant: 25th Anniversary Edition" (PDF). Uncut. No. 171. p. 102. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  22. ^ "Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M. Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  23. ^ Ramirez, AJ (February 11, 2020). "Hope Despite the Times: 12 Essential Alternative Rock Albums from the 1980s". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 2018-01-22. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  24. ^ "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s | Feature". Slant Magazine. 2012-03-05. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  25. ^ "Rocklist.net..Colin Larkin 1000 Albums - 2000". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  26. ^ a b DeCurtis, Anthony (August 28, 1986). "Lifes Rich Pageant". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  27. ^ "R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant | Releases | Discogs". Discogs.
  28. ^ "R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant | Releases | Discogs". Discogs.
  29. ^ https://www.discogs.com/master/14705-REM-Lifes-Rich-Pageant?image=395082.SW1hZ2U6NjU5OTk0Nw%3D%3D&format=LP&format=Vinyl&country=US [bare URL]
  30. ^ a b c d "Lifes Rich Pageant – R.E.M. Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  31. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 244. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and June 19, 1988.
  32. ^ a b "CRIA Gold and Platinum Search". CRIA. Archived from the original on November 15, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
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